DEPUTY Majority Leader Erwin T. Tulfo, of ACT-CIS partylist recommended today (Sept 5) that the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) be allocated a budget of only P1 for the upcoming year for not doing its job to prevent hoarding and price manipulation of onion in the country.
In the resumption of hearing of the Committee on Agriculture and Food of the House of Representatives, on the inquiry, in aid of legislation on the overpricing and price manipulation of onions in the market, Tulfo insisted that some government agencies, particularly the BPI, were not doing its job that resulted in the price increase of onion in the country.
“Napaka useless nitong BPI na ito, ‘wag na bigyan ng budget ito. You guys are not doing your job. May monitoring pero sasabihin niyo may guidelines at wala kayong magawa e di useless. Gawin na lang namin ang trabaho niyo at wag na kayong bigyan ng budget,” Rep. Erwin Tulfo said.
“Might as well we just give you na P1 peso na budget. Aabangan ko pag sumalang kayo sa plenary sa inyong budget,” the lawmaker also warned.
Tulfo said that despite the discovery of a large number of onions stocked in several cold storage facilities in the country, the BPI failed to stop the hoardings of onions.
William Mugot of the BPI, for his part, explained in the hearing that their hands are tied as they are following their office guidelines.
“We are bound to our guidelines. The present guidelines ay hindi talaga namin mako- compel yung mga traders sa mga warehouse to release their stocks. We are currently amending the regulations,” Mugot explained.
Tulfo insisted that the market prices of onions decreased after Congress led by Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez made several surprise inspections in the major public markets and warehouses in the country.
“It took the oversight committee of Congress at hindi po trabaho ng Kongreso na mag- ikot nang mag-ikot para gawin ang trabaho nyo. Mr. Chair dapat po gawain ito ng BPI and it’s the responsibility of the BPI to do that,” Tulfo asked.
“Meron naman pala kayong monitoring meron pala kayong visitation power. E sako sako ang andun, why wait for the oversight. Si Speaker Romualdez pa ang kailangang mag-ikot, si Cong Mark Enverga pa ang kailangang mag-ikot para makitang may over supply ng sibuyas na sobra ang presyo?” The Deputy Majority Leader added.
This developed as Tulfo also manifested to the Committee on Agriculture and Food headed by Quezon Rep. Wilfrido Mark Enverga to issue a subpoena against supermarket officials who still failed to attend the hearing despite the invitation of Congress.
The committee, based on Tulfo’s recommendations, issued subpoena to the officials of Puregold, Robinsons Mall, Gaisano Mall at Power Plant Mall.
“Mukang hindi po tayo sineseryoso ng mga ito at hindi po sila natatakot sa atin. We have to send them subpoena,” Tulfo said.
